Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo
by Moonshade5
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. AL
1. Default Chapter

Title: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Author: JackSparrowsWhore  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. A/L  
  
Warnings: The story contains hot guys doing raunchy things to other hot guys, M/M relationships, if this ain't your thang, scoot!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own them. Tolkien does. As he rules and such. I have NOTHING.  
  
Beta: The fabbity Laurel who made me do this in the first place.  
  
Archive: Just email jacksparrowsmistress@yahoo.com  
  
Author Notes: Yo yo yo! Lol I know my name suggests Potc, but my beta is pushy! Lol this is my first LOTR thingy, and I will try to be as loyal as possible, I thought in the movie it was so cute all the lil A/L moments. So I er improvised off that. Lol. Please REVIEW! I love it, it makes my world go round! So yea thanks for reading and enjoy I guess! Oh also the title which is in elvish is from my beta and according to her it translates to: A star brightens the darkened sky above us. I thought it was cool so yes. =^.^= REView!  
  
~~~~~~= dreamyness  
  
Chapter 1: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Aragorn lay restless in the Hall. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to will sleep to fall upon him. Darkness washed over his beaten body in waves, pushing him under enough to taste the sweet release of sleep, but always drawing back before he could drown in it. The ranger's futile attempts only made him wearier, until at last he fell into a tortured slumber, brought on by exhaustion alone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bright sun streamed through the window onto his face. He tried to move but his limbs were weighed by lead. The light, which at first brought the fresh hope of a new morn, began to burn his skin. The sun began to wrap around him, slender hands, that melded into burning flesh. The lady Arwen, above him. He tried to speak to her, words of love. But his voice felt hollow and unfamiliar even in his own throat. She parted her lips as if to speak, but only a racking scream came forth. Her body quelled and shook as she seemed to turn in on herself, leaving the pendant in her place. Aragorn reached his hand to grasp it, but it shattered to the floor, sending a million pieces of glass. Sharp shards sliced through his skin, and crimson blood dripped to the floor in oozing tears. The reflection in the red pool showed dark blood in blonde hair. Tear streaks on a pale face. Aragorn gasped as the image expanded, to show a bloody hole where his friend's heart should have been. He tried to cry out to the elf but raining clouds of dust filled his mouth. Fire lapped around his body, and through it all he saw the Eye. Screeching in mockery, the Eye. Consuming his thoughts and fears. The Eye. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Aragorn sat up breathing hard. There would be no rest for the king of men this night.  
  
He stepped out onto the terrace; the gentle clap of the stones beneath his boots was comforting, if only fleeting. He stood for some moments before noticing the cloaked figure to his left.  
  
He walked over to the elf, who was staring into the bloody horizon.  
  
"It is coming, a sleepless malice...the eye"  
  
Aragorn looked over to meet Legolas's piercing blue eyes. He could see the barrier posted in those eyes, that none should see within. He knew the look, as it met him in every mirror the king stared. He understood the prince's wish for privacy. But he could not help but wish to be able to penetrate It, to read the forbidden ledger inside, if not but for a moment. But that was literature for someone else. Not him. Perhaps it had already been claimed by some fair elven maiden who awaited his return. Some delicate beautiful creature with hair as black as night, and skin as clear as snow. The kind of maiden that awaited Aragorn,, should he return or no.  
  
He sighed and turned back to the horizon, the sun still dropping slowly as if giving its final farewell to the world, as if reluctant to leave. The day the sun left would be bitter indeed. The night that would fall without dawn, to what hope would the peoples look to then? But Aragorn knew all too well where they would seek comfort from the black day. To their king, who rode from the north, wielding the Blade That Was Broken. But where would he look? To the darkened sky's? The dying flowers? The retreating elves? What had he to fight for, everything he loved was gone or going.  
  
Except a delirious whim. A quickly fading opportunity, fleeting glances. He looked back to the elf, still speaking of evil. He could not wage war based on mere flashes of acknowledgment, and friendly shoulder squeezes. But it would be so. For everything else didn't seem worth it. It was then they heard the screams from within the hall. And all musings were quickly dashed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
TBC A?N: good bad? come on people show some response here! i was so afraid of this chapter it took me like 3 weeks to write. Damned to the depths whoever thought of slash! 


	2. Alone Together

Title: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Author: JackSparrowsWhore  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. A/L  
  
Warnings: The story contains hot guys doing raunchy things to other hot guys, M/M relationships, if this ain't your thang, scoot!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own them. Tolkien does. As he rules and such. I have NOTHING.  
  
Beta: The fabbity Laurel who made me do this in the first place.  
  
Archive: Just email jacksparrowsmistress@yahoo.com  
  
Author Notes: Review please! This is reaching epidemic proportions! Thanks so much to all of you guys who did! It means the world to me! I'd update this a lot faster but I'm alternating between fics so.you know, also school is all consuming. Man I think if Sauron met some of my teachers...well you know. SO enjoy and REVIEW!  
  
Chapter 2: Alone Together  
  
The heavy door burst open to a room of chaos. The slumberers therein had awakened at Pippin's cries, and were now reaching for weapons, still blearily blinking with sleep. On the floor in the middle of it all lay the hobbit, writhing on the stones, his eyes and hands glued to a glowing orb that seemed to be the master of his contortion. Aragorn sprang forward grasping the sphere from Pippin, thinking only of ending the little one's suffering. Immediately fire spread through his limbs and he felt his legs fail him, as the Eye stared at him from the ball, just as it had in his dreams.  
  
His hands felt raw around its cool surface, as if his very skin and bone was being pulled away. In one final effort he tossed the cursed thing to some corner of the room and collapsed to the floor. Darkness consumed his vision and he melted away into it's depths.  
  
He opened his eyes slowly, a great weight felt upon them. In the distance he could hear a low dull thrum of voices. His skin still crackled with electricity, and any appendage seemed reluctant of its duty. All he could perceive was a calming blurry blue. Pain seemed to travel through his blood, still attacking him in agonizing waves. Aragorn felt his head rattle, eager to return to the realm of blackness. But he would not let it, the dull sounds grew louder, and he fixed on the swimming blue that appeared in front of him. The cerulean expanse swam before his eyes, before it started to focus into two blue points. He frowned as the points gained shape and turned into two blue eyes, in their depths swam emotion.the king frowned as he tried to read their secrets.  
  
"My lord?"  
  
Lashes fell shielding the eyes for a moment. But when they were again revealed they were no longer a sea but a hard wall.  
  
"Aragorn?"  
  
A soft voice seemed to separate itself from the general din. A light hand brushed the dark curls of hair away the man's sweat dampened face. The touch was gentle, almost a caress, delicate but unsure. He opened his eyes with renewed clarity and he looked up to see Legolas's face above him. It was then the ranger noted that he was not in fact lying on the hard floor as he should be. But rather in the arms of the elfin prince, who had been the speaker, and owner of the ocean eyes. The princes pale face was creased with a frown of concern and Aragorn wanted nothing more then to see it erased. Why after all should such a creature suffer needlessly for him?  
  
"I am alright Legolas." He gave a weak smile to try and emphasize the point, but did not move. Legolas's feature's softened but he didn't move either. The two lay there unaware of the harsh voices around them.  
  
"Aragorn, Legolas!" Gandalf was in the doorway looking tired and weary beckoning to them both. The elf sprang to his feet lightly without helping Aragorn to his own. The ranger stood up wary of his legs and looked to the elf to thank him, but Legolas had already departed with Gandalf.  
  
Aragorn suddenly felt very cold, as if a blanket had been lifted from his shoulders. All he could think of was how the smooth skin had felt as it brushed by his face. A glimmer caught his eye and he looked down to see Arwen's pendant on the floor, fallen probably when he had collapsed. He lifted it gingerly, it's light waning, but as he re-clasped it about his neck, it felt all the more heavy.  
  
TBC... 


	3. Blissful Lies

Title: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Author: JackSparrowsWhore  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. A/L  
  
Warnings: The story contains hot guys doing raunchy things to other hot guys, M/M relationships, if this ain't your thang, scoot!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own them. Tolkien does. As he rules and such. I have NOTHING.  
  
Beta: The fabbity Laurel who made me do this in the first place.  
  
Archive: Just email jacksparrowsmistress@yahoo.com  
  
Author Notes: I'm sorry so sorry that this is late. But I was busy, then I almost caught an pneumonia then I almost went to Hospital THEN I had extra exams....it's been rough but I am here now! To bring you that little dose of passion you need to function properly. Ok here we go  
  
Chapter 3: Blissful Lies  
  
Aragorn slammed the door behind him, the heavy oak pressed against his back as he caught his breath. The morning had broken, the thin rays of light barely creeping through the blackness of night. It would happen soon. He could feel it. The Hall had emptied to the throne room. Gandalf was furious again with the over-zealousness of Pippin. Whatever news could be told of the hobbit's brief brush with evil, Aragorn had no mind to hear. He didn't want to see the Riders and he didn't want to discuss the future, of battles and defense. He didn't want to endure the endless questions ever jettisoned at him by the lady Eowyn.  
  
As a matter of fact he didn't know what he wanted. But it wasn't then, or later, but it might have been gone. He had claimed the beautiful Evenstar. And even now he possessed her, her very life dangling precariously around his neck. But even a prize so great as she, couldn't help but feel..hollow.  
  
If perchance he somehow survived this time and he regained his thrown, and all that anyone had ever hoped for him became true. He wouldn't be the ranger from the North that had blindly loved the unattainable princess.  
  
He wouldn't be Strider really Aragorn. He would be Aragorn Elfstone. He would have seen, done, experienced things, that she could not even begin to imagine. But it was too late now. It was all too late.  
  
Voices. In the hall. He hadn't heard the footsteps approach.  
  
"Have you seen the Lord Aragorn?" Curses Eowyn, definitely her. Why why why! He hoped the answerer of the question didn't know.  
  
"I apologize my Lady, I haven't seen him since this morning. Have you tried the throne room?" The cool voice drifted through the door and wrapped itself around Aragorn's soul. Legolas, no wonder he hadn't heard the steps.  
  
"Thank you Lord Legolas." There was a hurried retreat down the hall. Must that insufferable maid call everyone Lord?  
  
Aragorn decided that if she arrived in the hall searching for him, others would question his whereabouts as well. He waited for the soft padding of elven feet down the hall. But the elf continued to speak, even though his audience had left.  
  
"I would assume that Lord Aragorn would have his purposes for hiding behind doors. However I am but a simple wood elf and am unlearned in the ways of human kings."  
  
Aragorn remained still, feeling like a little boy caught at something he ought be doing. There was no real way to recover from this with dignity.  
  
"I should guess by this time that the almighty King of Men has understood that I am very much on to him. Would he now be trying to find a dignified way to emerge from his space to rebuke me for in anyway humiliating him?"  
  
Aragorn sighed from his side of the door. "Yes oh wise elf lord. But I see now there is no fooling you." He opened the door and emerged reluctantly into the hall.  
  
"Why my Lord, I did not know you dwelled within. You startled me!"  
  
Aragorn couldn't help but smile. "I would hold your tongue if I was you elf" he growled playfully.  
  
"And what will you do if I don't?"  
  
The smile slowly slid from Aragorn's face as he seriously considered what he would * could * do to the elf.  
  
Legolas's eye's widened and a faint blush crept up his ears. However it was a that moment that Gimli cam trundling down the hall demanding to know where Aragorn had been. By the time Aragorn had responded to the dwarves liking, Legolas had disappeared.  
  
TBC. REVIEW!!!!!!!!! Bitte! Danke! Ich liebe dich! (german exams sorry) 


	4. That is Nobody Else’s But Mine

Title: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Author: JackSparrowsWhore  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. A/L  
  
Warnings: The story contains hot guys doing raunchy things to other hot guys, M/M relationships, if this ain't your thang, scoot!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own them. Tolkien does. As he rules and such. I have NOTHING.  
  
Beta: The fabbity Laurel who made me do this in the first place.  
  
Archive: Just email jacksparrowsmistress@yahoo.com  
  
Author Notes: Supposed to be writing a 6-page short story......but I dun wanna! So there! I would rather write about obscenely sexy men who have to discover there true love for eachother! Is that such a crime? And it's not like I have anything against Eowyn, I mean in ROTK she is awesome, and in the books I was all like "WHA CHA!" lol that's my kung-fu noise! But I dunno in the TT movie she kinda got a taddly bit annoying ya know. Yes so on to the story!  
  
A/N ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* denotes flashback  
  
Chapter 4: That is Nobody Else's But Mine  
  
"Is it time to go already Aragorn?" It was folly of Aragorn to think that his departure would go without notice.  
  
"Not this time Gimli"  
  
"We've gone with you this far, you don't think we'd leave you now, do you?"  
  
Aragorn was thinking of what lie he could invent to dampen his friends keen interest in perusing him, but it was at that moment he heard an all to familiar voice.  
  
"Have you learned nothing about the stubbornness of Dwarves?"  
  
He had not asked, he hadn't said a word. And yet here he was, standing at the entrance to death. And yet, still he did not stand-alone. He could have said 'Go.' He could have said 'no'. He could have made them leave. But he didn't. He took the easy way out. And now it was DEFINITLY too late. He couldn't back out now, not without telling someone what they really meant.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Did you really see it?" Aragorn tensed as he heard the voice, but he would not give Legolas the pleasure of knowing the king had been startled.  
  
"Did I really see what?"  
  
"The beacon from Gondor." The elf was standing in the doorway, already dressed to ride at once. The golden afternoon sun blared behind him, outlining his slender form and giving his body a fuzzy glowing outline that gave the elf an angelic aura. Or maybe he was just imagining it. Perhaps it was something some part of him wanted to see.  
  
"Are you saying I lied."  
  
It wasn't a question, but it needed to be answered. Legolas wandered into the room and leaned against the square window which looked over the fields that wound into the south.  
  
"I don't know. Would you lie?"  
  
Aragorn stared tiredly at the elf whose blue eyes were stormy and troubled. Legolas wanted something, that's why he was pursuing the childish argument.  
  
"Legolas---" but the question died on his lips.  
  
The next day was riding, and the next. The nights were receiving brief reports and falling dejectedly to the hard ground to suffer restless sleep only to wake hours later. The dreams kept coming back. The pendant, the blood. Legolas, and the eye.  
  
Since they had left he hadn't spoken to the airy prince. Much. Beside hastily muttered greetings and the endlessly bland scouting report.  
  
"Legolas." The elf had been staring into the grey plains that drowned the wearying landscape.  
  
" I did not hear you approach my lord. I am tired from this days journey. With my apologies I should like to retire."  
  
He began to move hurredly away back to camp. But Aragorn caught his arm.  
  
"Legolas, what is the matter? If it is something that will in any way hinder our company, I have the right to know."  
  
"How is the lady?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The lady Eowyn, you seem to seek out her company. Therefore you would possess knowledge of how she fairs."  
  
"I have not seen her since we departed. But I assume all goes well."  
  
"She has not spoken with you?"  
  
"No more then friendly conversation."  
  
"She seems to think you more then friendly."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It would have been easier not to follow that path of conversation. So he hadn't. He had again taken the cowards way out. Legolas did not know what he was being led to.  
  
But even as his thoughts wove themselves, he heard the elf's silky voice relating to the dwarf legends about dead men and lost heirs. He didn't seem to mind much about the fate that waited for them.  
  
Aragorn wondered on.  
  
TBC A/N Review ^.^ 


	5. Wouldn't It Be Nice

Title: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Author: JackSparrowsWhore  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. A/L  
  
Warnings: The story contains hot guys doing raunchy things to other hot guys, M/M relationships, if this ain't your thang, scoot!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own them. Tolkien does. As he rules and such. I have NOTHING.  
  
Beta: The fabbity Laurel who made me do this in the first place.  
  
Archive: Just email jacksparrowsmistress@yahoo.com  
  
Author Notes: Sorry I haven't written for a time. My bad I know. I'm sorry, I had a stupid stupid story due. But anyway the sweep at the Oscars last night inspired me to write on and not leave you to torment and death. Armed with the Beach Boys I will set out to bring you smutty fiction. A/n 2: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~= change of scene or what not. Chapter 5: Wouldn't It Be Nice  
  
"The way is shut. It was made by the dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut."  
  
"I do not fear death." And it was truth he spoke as he plunged headlong into the darkness. He did not fear it for himself....but for those not meant to die...he grieved for them already. The horses had left, severing their final tie to a possible retreat. Aragorn still wished some part of him could turn around and shove Legolas all the way back to Mirkwood, where he would be safe. That was too hard though.  
  
Darkness is easy. It's simpler to let the light diminish into darkness then to fuel the light. It's easier to turn around and walk away. It takes a man to change the world. They would exalt his bravery for journeying into the very jaws of death in the haunted mountains. They would not know how he was simply running away. The dark caves was a desperate cowardly plunge.  
  
Legolas stood squinting as the wind burned his blue eyes. He knew Aragorn didn't want him to be here. He had seen it in the king's eyes when he had appeared that evening with Gimli. Yet Legolas had followed anyway. It's so hard to trust the fleeting. And yet the elf felt his feet move forward into the darkness.  
  
Legolas understood this was the path that needed to be taken by the king, the true heir of Gondor. The prince only wished it could have turned out another way. For he also understood that prophecies can be wrong. And perhaps Gondor would never see their king.  
  
That was the risk. Great things only come from great risks. It's hard to tell someone that. Without telling them why you're them. For it's not merely friendly philosophy. It is easier to run after death.  
  
Aragorn didn't turn around to acknowledge his friend. He was too busy trying to stifle the part of him was happy the immortal had chanced death.  
  
The very air around him reeked of destruction. As if the threads that made up his body were slowly being unwound. White wisps sliced past his face almost scorching him. Some being was herein like nothing he had before encountered.  
  
Aragorn very suddenly felt empty, his spirit washing away into a black sea of despair. But from that sea rose the bleeding serpent of his mortality. It entwined itself around his heart and squeezed. The king's step faltered, the quiet pounding on his ears. Throbbing through his mind. His limbs felt heavy and awkward as the blood thickened within them.  
  
His muscles burned. But somewhere, somewhere else, something smooth and cool brushed past his sore hands. The comfort was so fleeting that at its departure he felt himself start to reel. But the coolness came back and this time clamped around his aching hand and held fast.  
  
Through the pounding of his own blood in his ears came a soft voice that seemed to extinguish all the static within as it swept through his body.  
  
"My lord?"  
  
Irons were removed from Aragorn's body as he blinked away the haze. With his other hand he groped towards the source of his salvation. Grasping a thin wrist almost desperately, he pulled it towards his body. Needing to feel the cold.  
  
Aragorn barely heard the sharp intake of breath as he crushed the slender form to his. The cave seemed to spin violently. He opened his eyes to see blue, Filled with questions. The cool hands grasped Aragorn's face and yanked it forward to collide with soft lips.  
  
Their kiss was savage, almost a challenge. Middle-Earth may have well shattered into pieces and showered behind them, and it could have been rain. Aragorn flicked his tongue across the lips locked onto his, wanting to pry deeper. But heavy boots were thumping down across the stones.  
  
It was the elf who pulled away. Aragorn watched a trickle of blood slide down from his bruised lips. No Evenstar could do that and make it the most erotic sight ever.  
  
Aragorn's own mouth ached, sharp and biting. But what he wouldn't give for that pain to last forever.  
  
"Aragorn..." it was a breathy sigh "I-"  
  
TBC A/N Review! 


	6. I Know

Title: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Author: JackSparrowsWhore  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. A/L  
  
Warnings: The story contains hot guys doing raunchy things to other hot guys, M/M relationships, if this ain't your thang, scoot!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own them. Tolkien does. As he rules and such. I have NOTHING.  
  
Beta: The fabbity Laurel who made me do this in the first place.  
  
Archive: Just email jacksparrowsmistressyahoo.com  
  
Author Notes: it's been a fucking while hasn't it? I soo sorry, I will write my formal apology to you all now! See I thought I was better then slash, I thought I was wasting my time, and then, and then I saw Troy. And I realized. I'm really not wasting my time, and I'm a slave for it, so since its been like a million years I apologize sincerely, and I will try and wrap these as fast as humanly possible. Thanks for staying with me!  
  
Chapter 6: I Know  
  
Gimli bounded up, rattled but not altogether discouraged by the dark gloom that encased them. Aragorn turned around, breaking the line of fire between his eyes and the cold scalding blue. But even as his gaze turned, he could feel twin holes smoldering and eating their way through his skin.  
  
Gimli nodded, his eyes taking in the dark surroundings waiting for Aragorn to give the signal to move on, to make some gesture to show it would be all right and they could move forward. Something, anything to show that even though they were immersed in dread and danger, for this moment they were secure.  
  
Instead he turned and continued on into the blackness, not looking at either of his companions. He tried to will the blue flames to quench themselves, and at the same time wished also to fan the flames and engulf himself in their heat.  
  
But for the moment the ranger was blind, walking out of insecurity and into would-be disaster. And it wasn't just the darkness of the caverns that put the pressure on his blank eyes.  
  
He waited patiently as the ghosts rose from the abyss, relishing in the obvious danger. At this moment he knew what he should be feeling. It was written out, expected; fearful, yet confident, because he knew what to do. He knew what he was supposed to do, rally undead soldiers for a near hopeless cause. That was much easier then the previous vocations.  
  
His moves were already plotted, written out with a certain result: victory or death. Were it all things came to such. These men, dead men, robbers, rogues, murderers. He longed for the fear, a definite emotion to flow through his veins. But it didn't come, even when the ghost king with his broken crown took his first rattling step towards him.  
  
An arrow flew through the air and pierced the mist of the ghost's head, its airy shriek brought Aragorn back to its shooter. Back to its target. Back to the field. Back to this game he wasn't sure if he was playing.  
  
Time for the action. Time to set the course for Minas Tirith. Across black water. But first, he had to bargain and command. Words of power and strength, words fit for a king. He had to say them, he needed to reside in their power.  
  
For he knew that the words after these, would be to tell him he didn't want him.  
  
TBC A/N 0.0 what did I do! Oh no! I really didn't mean for that to happen! Oops....review? 


	7. I Tried

Title: Elen Sila lumenn' tivelo  
  
Author: JackSparrowsWhore  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: ROTK, Beginning with their stay at Edoras, Legolas and Aragorn, somethings are meant to be unlocked. A/L  
  
Warnings: The story contains hot guys doing raunchy things to other hot guys, M/M relationships, if this ain't your thang, scoot!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own them. Tolkien does. As he rules and such. I have NOTHING.  
  
Beta: The fabbity Laurel who made me do this in the first place.  
  
Archive: Just email jacksparrowsmistressyahoo.com  
  
Author Notes: Well I'm doing a little better with cranking these out...but sadly I don't know what I want to do with this particular piece...any suggestions you may want to give me in REVIEWS would be helpful lol. I'm willing to do anything....thanks for reading and reviewing, it's because of you guys this happens at all....  
  
Chapter 7: I Tried  
  
The black hulls ripped through the equally dark water. Blunt wood savagely ripping and tearing through a serene fabric, only to have it meld back together in its wake. Silent. Untouched. As if nothing had happened. Only a few ripples scattered to the wind to mark what might have been, or might not have. Returning to the soft eternal blank.  
  
Blank.  
  
Aragorn envied it. It's blackness. Powering over everything, yet feeling nothing.  
  
He could see him. Golden hair flowing through the whipping wind, as if it was some part of it. He watched him. The elf, breathing the sea air even as it poisoned his heart.  
  
Becoming one more span between them. One more endless crevice, one where he could see the other side with his heart, but never, never with his soul. Aragorn had seen so many of these partitions- within Moria, his own love, and blood that kept him from Arwen. And all of them it seemed he had conquered, endless as they were- save this, for in this, even his heart could not see the other side.  
  
It wasn't like there wasn't any desire...  
  
"What should happen?" The whispered inquistion jolted him on pins and needles back to the slimy deck.  
  
"What?" the man turned his head ever so slightly to glimpse the being beside him. But his muscles were made of iron, and the gears pivoted too slowly.  
  
"If we do not survive to see the destruction of the ring. What should happen to Gondor, to...." The wind washed his voice away.  
  
Aragorn knew he should have the answers. Not even that, but comfort at least.  
  
"You believe the ring will be destroyed?"  
  
"Yes, but only because I can not bear to believe it will not."  
  
He stopped suddenly. As if he had run out of track rather then words. They stood in silence listening to the gentle thud of waves. The air seeming to become devoid of oxygen until Aragorn felt like choking, and to escape the intensity, throw himself into the swirling water.  
  
But no, Legolas' voice again whirled around him and froze his blood to stone.  
  
"If there is anything I could...do for you..."  
  
Aragorn bristled and could feel a pit slowly twist open in his stomach.  
  
"That is, I mean if there's something you need...we wouldn't want you to...that is...we would want you to be...ready..."  
  
Aragorn knew in that moment what it was. Legolas's pity. It wasn't love or even lust. It was pity. All he wanted was to make sure the king was strong, 'ready'.  
  
And that's why Aragorn couldn't do this. Want him like this. Because the moment their lips met it would acknowledge what he feared. That he was weak. And that could not happen. At any cost.  
  
A/N oh lord I don't know 


End file.
